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| Lee
LaPlante, former New York Art Dealer, loves the daily challenges and exciting
pace of residential Real Estate. She holds a B.A. from Connecticut College, where
she majored in Art History and Studio Art. Extensively well traveled and well-known
for her packed-to-capacity art openings in Soho, Lee relocated to Malibu from
Manhattan, where she was formerly the director of Lee Arthur Studio, a contemporary
art gallery founded in 1991. The gallery promoted cutting edge contemporary artists
from the U.S., South America, Europe, India and Asia. "Starting
the gallery in a loft space from scratch and building up an international following,
with reviews from well known critics in highly influential publications such as
ArtForum, Art News and the The New York
Observer, was a great learning experience, and one which I readily transferred
to my real estate marketing and sales expertise." Aside from developing sales,
marketing and client relations, the gallery focused on international exhibitions,
consulting and curating services." Ms.
LaPlante's work took her annually to Hong Kong and Malaysia, with regular stops
in Los Angeles, where she stayed with her eldest brother, John Arthur, a Managing
Editor for the Los Angeles Times, and his family in Santa Monica. In 1994 she
attended an art opening in L.A. where she met Leo LaPlante, a builder and master
woodworker, who has been a resident of Malibu since 1978. They were married in
New York City in 1996 and currently own a home in Malibu. In 2000, they became
the proud parents of twin daughters, Jacqueline and Juliette. Lee
made a decision to enter the real estate business in Malibu while selling the
Soho loft that housed her gallery in New York. "The
training I had as an art dealer, and the thousands of people I met from all over
the world in my twelve years in Manhattan, proved to be an excellent foundation
upon which to build a real estate business and clientele. I was familiar with
the market's ups and downs in northern and southern California as two of my brothers
and their families have lived on the west coast for years". Ironically,
Lee's twin brother James is also in the financial end of the real estate business
in Silicon Valley. "With the stock market hitting all time highs, a strong
national economy and the position of California on the Pacific Rim, I knew there
was an enormous potential for growth. I had seen the real estate climate change
dramatically in the ten years I owned property in Manhattan, and had also observed
the tremendous activity taking place on Long Island's East End, where I'd spent
every summer as a child in East Hampton. But, it was not until Leo and I were
on our honeymoon in Asia that I realized I was headed for a new career... Here
we were on this incredibly exotic, romantic honeymoon and at each hotel, from
Hong Kong to Bali, there would be an urgent fax from my realtor in New York waiting
for us. Just as it is in Real Estate, timing is everything. One day sitting on
a perfect beach, my husband said to me seriously, "if you can sell art, why
not real estate?" That day I made up my mind! "The
same elements that attracted me to the world of art sales and client relations,
drew me towards a career in real estate. A chance to leave New York's fast-paced
urban lifestyle also renewed my appreciation in Malibu's peaceful serenity and
spectacular ocean-to-canyon living. Malibu comes with its own unique history and
naturally beautiful surroundings. We have all the ingredients of country living
with twenty seven miles of coastline and the Pacific Ocean as our backyard. With
the proximity to a major metropolis and an international airport, it's no
wonder Malibu is such a sought-after place to live." In
addition to her busy family life and demanding career, Lee has become actively
involved in several charities and non-profit arts groups. These include Free Arts,
an organization helping children cope with abandonment and difficult childhood
experiences through the healing power of art, The 18th Street Arts Complex, promoting
international art exchange and Cornucopia Farms/The Malibu Agricultural Project,
which founded Malibu's first Farmer's Market and teaches school children about
the benefits of organic farming and sustainable agriculture. Lee
has sold over $20,000,000 worth of Real Estate to date since she began in the
business. In addition, she has served as a Director of the Malibu Association
of Realtors in 2000 and 2001 and served as Vice President for the year 2002. Lee
is a member of the National Association of Realtors as well as the Southland Regional
Association of Realtors. She is also a certified Relocation Specialist. Lee can
be reached at Coldwell Banker's Colony Beach office on Malibu Road at her direct
line: 310-317-8370 or via e-mail at llaplante@coldwellbanker.com
for all your real estate needs. | |
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Lee
LaPlante | |
